Fused current tap



p 3, 1935. 1.. G. BECKER 2,013,596

FUSED CURRENT TAP Filed May 19, 1930 Jmnmfoc [es/As fflecker Patented Sept. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,013,56 FUSED CURRENT 'rar Leslie G. Becker, Geneseo, n1.

Application May '19, 1930, Serial No. 453,149

1 cam (Cl. zoo-115.5)

This invention relates to a fused current tap adapted to be inserted into a conventional outlet and to function both as a socket and a fuse plug.

The object of this invention is to design a plug 5 to serve as a socket and fuse, adapted to be inserted in a conventional outlet and to serve as a socket for the insertion of a plug attached to an electric appliance such as a coffee percolator, wailie iron, washing machine, etc., to safeguard against the blowing out of the fuses in the house other suitable insulating material, said casing-be- 1 ing longitudinally divided in the well known manner to facilitate the assembly of prongs therein, 05 the sections II and 12 of said casing being held together by means of screw bolts l3 and H.

The interior of each section is provided with non-communicating ii and it, which terminate at the ends of said sections in parallel 3 grooves II and I8, and I! and II, for am to be hereinafter described.

Positionedineachof said isaninlet prong 2| and an outlet prong I! of copper or any other suitable conducting material. The out- 35 let prongs 22 are of conventional shape, one end of each terminating in a spring contact portion 22' which is adapted toflt in the lower part of the grooves "and I8. Theotherendsofsaidoutlet prongs 22 are attached to one end of the inlet 40 prongslhsaidprongsbeinginsulatedfromeach 1 other at said points of attachment in the well known manner. Preferably, an insulating strip 28 separates each of said pron s which are clamped together by an insulated rivet or screw 45 ll. Thefreeendsoftheinletprongs 2| extend throughthegrooves liandllforadistancebeyondthebottomofthecasinglltoserveasa means to insert the tap into an outlet.

Connecting the inlet and outlet prongs II and w flarefusewiresllwhicharefusedorotherwiseattachedtotheadiacentendportionsofsald prongs in the manner clearly shown in Figure 2, said fuse wire being of any desired amperage capacity as for example one to sixamps.

It is apparent that when the fused current tap 'is completely assembled in the manner well known 5 and inserted in an outlet, and having in turn inserted therein a plug of an electrical appliance that current will flow from the inlet prongs II, across the fuse wires 25, to the outlet prongs 22, and to the electric appliance, said tap thereby 10 serving, as mentioned above, both as a socket and a fuse. In case the fuse wires burn out, current cannot flow to the electric appliance while the flow of current in other parts -of the house circuit is uninterrupted. 15

Although a single inlet means has been shown on the drawing, it is apparent that my fuse tap may also be provided with two or more outlet means providing the proper size fuse wire is used.

As is well known, the conventional multiple tap w provides a means for plugging in a multiplicity of electrical appliances, as a result of which the house fuses are often overloaded and hence blown. By making the conducting means of a conventional multiple plug with a fuse wire, as in my deas vice, it is apparent that any overload, as a result of using a multiple plug, will be guarded by the plug fuse itself.

While a preferred embodiment of fused current taphasbeen dlsclosed,thesameissuseeptihleof 3o manychangeswithinthescopeofthe appended claim.

Having thus described my invention. what I claimasnewanddesiretosecurebyhetterslatcut is:---

An electric fuse plug comprising a supporting casing of insulating material, said casing com- 'prisingtwohalfbodyportions,apairofinletcontacts, a pair of outlet contacts, an insulating means separating each inlet contact from each 40 outlet contact, means securing said inlet contacts and outlet contacts to said insulating strip to onehalfofthebodyofsaidcasing,andfusewire means bridging said insulating strip to connect said inlet prongs with said outlet prongs whereby the current may pass from said inlet contacts to said outlet contacts across said bridging fuse meanssolongas saidbridgingfusemeanlisunblown. 

